Interim injunction against Wet'suwet'en members not going away soon: lawyer

January 31, 2019 - 5:43 PM

VANCOUVER - A lawyer for members of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation who oppose a natural gas pipeline through their traditional territory says they will likely be ordered to maintain a 10-metre distance from any work site or workers for several months.

Michael Lee Ross says interim injunctions like the one granted to Coastal GasLink in December typically remain in effect until a judgment is delivered on the main injunction application to the court.

He says that he and Coastal GasLink's lawyers recently agreed to shift the hearing date deadline to May 31 from May 1, but that date could change again.

Ross says both sides also agreed to shift a deadline for his clients to file a response to the injunction application to Feb. 20 from Jan. 31, which needs court approval.

The B.C. Supreme Court granted Coastal GasLink an interim injunction against Wet'suwet'en members and supporters after a roadblock was erected along a logging road the company says it needs to use.

The arrest of 14 people when RCMP enforced the interim injunction on Jan. 7 sparked protests across Canada and internationally, as many within the First Nation argue the project doesn't have authority without approval from its hereditary clan chiefs.